What is Trauma?

Trauma is a Greek word for wound. It is an emotional response to a deeply distressing or frightening event that overwhelms a person's ability to cope. It can be caused by a single incident or ongoing experiences. Trauma can affect individuals physically, emotionally, and psychologically, leading to long-lasting challenges in relationships, work, and daily life. Trauma can affect people of every race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender, psychosocial background, and geographic region (SAMHSA, 2012).

The good news? Although you cannot change what happened or didn’t happen, you can begin to heal a wound at any time.

What is Trauma-Informed Care?

A trauma-informed approach acknowledges that treatment needs to have a complete picture of a person’s life situation — past and present. It recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and involves creating a safe-enough environment to help the client build trust with themselves and others. This approach seeks to prevent re-traumatization and promote healing by integrating knowledge about trauma into therapeutic procedures and practices.

How do I know if trauma recovery is right for me?

To explore whether Deep Dive is the right fit for you, we offer a free 20 min telephone consultation prior to your first appointment. During the call we will ask briefly about your concerns, ensure it is something we can assist with, and leave time for other questions. We encourage you to ask questions about our professional lens, training, experience, availability, treatment approaches, privacy sharing, and whatever else is important to you to help make an informed decision. From our experience, one of the most important factors in determining if we are the right team for you is whether you feel an energetic “click” - an important foundation to build rapport.

What is the cost for psychological services?

As of October 1st, 2024, under the recommendation of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia (APNS), the fee for psychological services is $225.00 per 50-min clinical hour due at the time of service. No tax. You will receive a receipt at the time of payment for your records. A major credit card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) is required to add to your account for payments & security. Direct billing is available for some private health insurance such as Blue Cross, Canada Life, and Great West Life. Please check with your private health insurance provider if they offer coverage for psychological services and allow direct billing for this specific service.

What are the differences between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?

In Canada, Registered Psychologists have a minimum of a master’s degree, supervised practice hours, specialized training in their area of practice, and completion of ethics and competency exams prior to obtaining their provincial license. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialized in mental health. In Canada, most psychiatrists diagnose to prescribe medication while psychologists do not.

I have anxiety, does that mean I need trauma-informed therapy?

Did you know that alterations in arousal and reactivity are a major symptom cluster of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Although you may not meet all criteria for PTSD, anxiety is a likely sign of nervous system dysregulation and some degree of psychological fragmentation as a result of an adverse life experience.

Treatment will likely begin in Phase I where we will build skills to support emotional stability & resilience. Phase II will get to the roots of the anxiety. Phase III will help you to self-reflect, change your relationship with anxiety, and make meaning of your experience.

I struggle with depression, do I need trauma recovery?

Depression can be viewed as a nervous system state of “submit & collapse”. You may feel chronic guilt & shame, experience self-loathing, struggle with boundaries and saying no, make excessive self-sacrifices, and have extreme lethargy & fatigue. A part of you has checked-out and is no longer willing or able to uphold the persona that you’ve created as a way of ensuring you will be liked, wanted, and valued. Many times, these inner experiences float back to childhood roots where it was necessary to become what others wanted and needed you to be. What if your depression was a messenger, not something you “get”?

How long does trauma recovery take?

Trauma recovery is a process that is unique to each individual person. At Deep Dive, there is no finish line to reach, no symptom to “get rid of”.

Instead, healing involves creating enough inner space to get to know the most undesirable and often most wounded parts of yourself and begin to view them through a lens of curiosity, compassion, and non-judgement. Consistently showing up for yourself, engaging in the necessary phases of treatment, practicing compassionate self-inquiry and healthy lifestyle choices can move you towards healing, wholeness, and recovery.

What is our Cancellation policy?

The cancellation policy considers the impact on other clients waiting for support and the psychologist’s preparation time. We kindly request a minimum of 48 hours notice for cancellations or rescheduling. Cancellations made within 24-48 hours of the scheduled session will be charged 50% of the session fee. Cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice will be charged the full session fee.